I am an English teacher and Creative Writing teacher in the East Bay area of San Francisco. I graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Masters in Writing. I also teach Fiction writing classes in the East Bay. You can find my writing in many fine literary magazines, both on-line and in print. I like to blog about literary magazines and books I'm reading, and also about the act of writing.

Friday, March 11, 2011

I don't know what the title of this post is. I only know I haven't blogged for a long time. The problem is that I don't know if anyone reads this, but does that matter? The real issue is that a blog keeps me current, in the current, in touch with others. So what is going on in your writing life? I am teaching a very inexpensive *30 bucks through DZANC on April 9th. I have about 3 or 4 former students/ friends signed up so far. I'd like to get about 8-10 people. It's from 10=2 or whatever on a Saturday at my house. Of course, if you know anything about me, you know you can't be allergic to cats or dogs or acacia when you come out to my place b/c I have 2 cats, 2 dogs, and 2 feral/tamed kittens*age 4 months*. That's just a public service announcement. I also have a large house, yard, garden, deck, and open basement, living room. So if you're thinking about taking the class==take it b/c we are going to write for four hours and have tea/wine and talk about our writing. I'll bring some of my favorite writing exercises for both poetry and esp. fiction, but any of them can be used for nonfiction.

What am I reading? Menopause Reset--a diet book that's good for those of who the pounds are sneaking up on. There's nothing new in this book except that there's always hope. Set new goals and exercise regularly. Check your nightime eating habits. All the stuff we already know. However, the book did get me back on track in terms of looking at my daily exercise. My dog Casey loves it that I'm back to my daily or every other day walks. She gets so excited when she sees I'm wearing my exercise clothes and the rolley tennis shoes.

Places for Writers

Jackey

As Is

List Poem: Love

Clean house, makeup, the final line, acceptance letter, SASE, new printer, doodle shapes, picture of blue horses, after great sadness leaves on a tree, full mailbox, city at night, looking down a steep hill, things that come in threes, not too much synchronicity, Police on grammys, forgotten memory card, free stuff, vintage gold dress, riding on aeroplanes, making connections, forgotten ending remembered, a cup of coffee right now, mother voice, losing the last five pounds, summer memories, break, praise in my mouth.

Awards or Semiawards

Semifinalist: Iowa Short Fiction Awards, 2008, Short story collection, Stories I Heard When I Went Home for My Grandmother's Funeral,

Finalist: Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize 2008, Short story collection, Still Slipping on the Ice.

Finalist: Elixir Press Chapbook Awards 2007, Short-short story collection, I'll Tell You That Story in a Minute.

Finalist: Black Lawrence Press Ontario Prize 2006, Short story collection, Nobody Has to Die for It to Tell You Something.

Semifinalist: University of Iowa Ficition Awards 2005, Short story collection, Nobody Has to Die for It to Tell You Something.